Disk with disk drive

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides a drive-integrated disk (an intelligent disk (ID)) having an electronic circuit controlling an external system as a peripheral. The drive-integrated disk comprises a disk block for storing information, a disk drive unit for accessing to the disk block, an electronic circuit block which connects to the disk drive unit via a bus, and a data input/output terminal group for connecting the electronic circuit block to an external apparatus, and is formed in a card shape.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to a drive-integrated disk with adisk drive.

BACKGROUND ART

[0002] Up to now, drive-integrated disks have been proposed.Nevertheless, the disks are used as peripherals, and hence control ofeach system is performed by a processor in an external system.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

[0003] The present invention provides a drive-integrated disk(hereinafter, this is called an intelligent disk (ID)) having anelectronic circuit controlling an external system as a peripheral.

[0004] In order to solve this task, a drive-integrated disk of thepresent invention is characterized in that the disk comprises a diskblock for storing information, a disk drive unit for accessing to thedisk block, an electronic circuit block which connects to the disk driveunit via a bus, and a data input/output terminal group for connectingthe electronic circuit block to an external apparatus.

[0005] Here, the drive-integrated disk is formed in a card shape, andthe data input/output terminal group is located in corresponding to astandard terminal group of an IC card. In addition, the drive-integrateddisk is formed in a card shape, and the data input/output terminal groupis formed as a connector at least at an end of the card. In addition, abootstrap program, system programs, and application programs are storedin the disk block and electronic circuit block is distributed at desiredpositions.

[0006] The present invention can provide a drive-integrated disk havingan electronic circuit controlling an external system as a peripheral.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0007]FIG. 1 is a sketch of an example of a drive-integrated disk thatis this embodiment;

[0008]FIG. 2 is a sketch of another example of the drive-integrated diskthat is this embodiment; and

[0009]FIG. 3 is a drawing of an example of internal construction of thedrive-integrated disk that is this embodiment.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0010] For more detailed description of the present invention, anembodiment of the present invention will be described with reference toattached drawings.

[0011]FIG. 1 is a sketch drawing of an example of a drive-integrateddisk that is this embodiment. Here, since an ID 1 is formed in a cardshape (hereinafter, this is called an ID card), the ID 1 can besubstituted for an IC card by providing the same connector pins as thoseof an IC card.

[0012] The ID 1 comprises a disk block 3 that is a disk surface forstoring information, an intelligent circuit block 2 mounted, forexample, in the central portion thereof as shown in FIG. 1, and anoptical disk drive unit 4 including a pickup (not shown) reading (orwriting) information from the disk block (surface) 3 of the ID 1, and apickup drive circuit (not shown) to have the pickup seek on the disksurface. Here, although the circuit block 2 is located in the centralportion of the disk in FIG. 1, the location is not particularly limited,for example, it can also be located on a whole surface at a side of thedisk or in a middle layer of a disk manufactured in plural layers.

[0013]FIG. 2 shows the ID card having a connector at an end. Theconnector can be provided at the other end in correspondence to theobjective of the ID card.

[0014] It becomes possible to keep process speed of an ID card systemfast by avoiding limitation of quantity of data transfer and transferspeed between the ID card and external system through realizing busconnection between the ID card and a system side in this manner.

[0015]FIG. 3 shows a constructive example of a computer system includingthe ID of this embodiment.

[0016] The intelligent circuit block 2 has ROM 22 for storing programs,RAM 23 for temporary storage, and a CPU 21 for executing programs storedin the ROM 22 and RAM 23. Numeral 24 shows a photocell that is necessaryif the ID side has an independent power source.

[0017] On the other hand, a display unit 11, a keyboard 12, a mouse 13,a printer 14, a buffer memory 15, a DMAC 16 having a DMA table 16 a, acommunication processor 17, and the like are connected to the systemblock 10. In addition, the system block 10 can be a computer systemhaving multiple functions or a specific device having a single functionsuch as display and printing.

[0018] Connection between the intelligent circuit block 2 and systemblock 10 is a contact type or a non-contact type of bus-connection.

[0019] In this system, a CPU is not included in the external systemblock 10, and hence all the components operates under control of the CPU21 in the ID 1. In addition, since an OS and application data are storedin the disk block, the system block 10 can be operated with the OSstored in an ID by inserting the ID. Thus, a bootstrap program, systemprograms, and application programs are stored in the disk block andelectronic circuit block of this ID with being distributed at desiredpositions of the blocks. By providing a plurality of OSs and applicationprograms in the disk block 3, performing selection display on thedisplay unit 11, and further selecting from the display with the mouse13 and the like, various types of OSs can be selectively started up solong as a system block 10 of a standard specification is provided.

[0020] In addition, according to this system, version up can beperformed by replacing the ID even if processor development advances,like in the past several years, while users can freely build computersystems in either the old or new versions since hardware and softwareare in one-piece.

[0021] Hereinbefore, the present invention is described with preferredembodiments. Nevertheless, the present invention is not limited to theabove-described embodiments and various changes, additions, andmodifications can be made within the spirits and scope as set out in theaccompanying claims.

1. A drive-integrated disk comprises: a disk block for storinginformation; a disk drive unit for accessing to the disk block; anelectronic circuit block which connects to the disk drive unit via abus; and a data input/output terminal group for connecting theelectronic circuit block to an external apparatus.
 2. Thedrive-integrated disk according to claim 1, wherein saiddrive-integrated disk is formed in a card shape, and said datainput/output terminal group is located in correspondence to a standardterminal group of an IC card.
 3. The drive-integrated disk according toclaim 1, wherein said drive-integrated disk is formed in a card shape,and said data input/output terminal group is formed as a connector atleast at an end of the card.
 4. The drive-integrated disk according toclaim 1, wherein a bootstrap program, system programs, and applicationprograms are stored in said disk block and electronic circuit block withbeing distributed at desired positions.